Michael M. O’Sullivan was born in Limerick, Ireland in 1808. He married Catherine Howe in St. John’s Church in Limerick in 1829. Michael and Catherine raised 6 children, Honora, Elizabeth, Michael, James, Catherine and Mary. He is my husband's third great grandfather. Michael immigrated from Ireland and settled in Albany, NY. This is his story.
Michael’s story came to us through a variety of sources, including his own words in letters now safely preserved at the NYS Military Museum in Saratoga Springs, from John's mutual ancestors’ family trees on Ancestry.com, and from various documents found on the web. When I began my quest to explore our family ancestry, I had no idea what tales I’d find, but Michael’s story is beyond any expectation I hoped to uncover. Let me tell you what I can about the multi-faceted Michael O’Sullivan. Photo of Michael courtesy of the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs, NY.
In September 1870 when he was 62, Michael wrote a letter to Reverend Brother John Austin Grace of the Irish Christian Brothers School in Dublin, Ireland. Michael O’Sullivan was a pupil of Brother Grace and his letter to Brother Grace is now preserved in the Brothers’ archives in Dublin. Michael writes, “I am almost ashamed to write to you, after my having delayed so long to answer your letter. The delay was occasioned partly by the death of my son and one of my daughters – the former died a year ago, leaving a wife and seven children, the latter died two years ago, within a year after her marriage. My health is very much impaired – not by natural sickness but by the consequence of wounds I received during the late Civil War in this country.”
Michael goes on to tell that after his father’s death, he
left Limerick in 1823 and went to Dublin.
“I bound myself apprentice to a mason, was at the finishing of the
Revenue Docks in rere of the Custom House stores; worked in Belfast, Derry,
Monagham, Tyrone, Donegal, Westmeath, Galway, Tipperary and Cork. I prepared the first stone of the Donnybrook
Bridge, attended the Marquis of Anglesea in laying it." He writes, “I was a good stonecutter then,
working at both trades as circumstances required. I was selected by the late Very Rev. James O’Rafferty
as Teacher of Tullamore National School, and was a member of the first class of
teachers trained in Merrion St. Model School.
I conducted the school until 1840 when a combination, headed by some of
the local Orange Magistracy, forced me to fly from Ireland. My political opinions were at variance with those of the magistrates, and I freely exposed their doings in the Pilot,
Athlone Sentinel and Carlow Morning Post.
Although never belonging to a secret society, I took every opportunity
to shew my hostility to the petty tyrants who misgovern the country.”
Michael and his family arrived in the United States in the early 1840's. He received his
naturalization papers in 1855. For many years, Michael was a teacher in the
different parochial schools in Albany – St. Mary’s, St. Joseph's, and St. John’s
which some sources say he established. One record also
lists his occupation as catholic bookstore owner. On October 7, 1859, a newspaper report
states, “He (Michael O’Sullivan) was
brutally attacked by 3 assailants while leaving the Cathedral in Albany (Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception), with a
daughter and her female friend between 11-12:00pm.
The newspaper reporter wrote, “the attackers should be imprisoned for
life.”
Referring back to his letter to Brother Grace, Michael says, “Since I arrived in the US, I managed to obtain a respectable livelihood for my family until the war broke out in 1861. I raised a company of 86 men, all Irish Catholics, without soliciting any of them to enlist, and without the aid of even one glass of intoxicating liquor, as I was then, and now and since 1834 a “Teetotaler” of the most rigid school. My company being picked men, above common intelligence, moral and, I may say, religious, they were selected as vacancies occurred by the casualties of war, to be Lieutenants and Captains, and I had the pleasure of leaving the Regiment at the close of 1863, to see my place of Major filled by one of my recruits, John Dwyer from Co. Kilkenny. I was in 23 general engagements and skirmishes, the severest of which were “Fair Oaks, Antietam, the “Seven Day’s Fight (in which we fought 8 times in 7 days), Fredericksburg, Williamsburg, Gettysburg, Yorktown, etc. I was shot thro’ the left knee which partially disables me, and after three months in hospital resumed my command, promoted Major and was invalided on a pension of $20 a month. Since coming home, I have been employed in some of the State and US Departments, although frequently and seriously ill from the effects of my wounds. Yet not withstanding all my trials, I am still robust and although 64 years old, my appearance is that of a man about 50, not even having gray hair. The 63rd Regiment in which I served, formed part of the celebrated Irish Brigade, commanded by the gallant soldier, the late Major General Thomas Francis Meagher, one of whose favorite officers I had the pleasure to be. Our brigade had three Catholic Chaplains, Mass every morning, sometimes on the battlefield, surrounded by the dead and wounded; Rosary every evening and Confessions at any time, day or night.” He goes on to say, “I am at present Clerk in the US Marshal’s Office and I go home to my little family every two weeks, to Albany, 150 miles up the Hudson River, spend Sunday at home and return to the office Monday morning. I hope soon to write to you again when I will acquaint you with the state of Catholicity in the neighborhood of Albany at present, in contrast with 30 years ago - making Albany a centre, with a radius of 30 miles - and you will be astonished and thank God at the result."
In addition to being fortunate enough to have this letter
from Michael, several of Captain O’Sullivan’s letters home from war appeared in
local newspapers. Without the experience
of having served in battle, their vivid descriptions, and the stark reality of
war – a war a relative participated in – bring light to a world most of us are
fortunate not to have experienced. Here’s
some excerpts from some of those letters:
Captain Michael O’Sullivan of Company F, 63rd New York, in
one of the few surviving accounts of the battle, described it to a New York
newspaper:. “We have fought the enemy, and our company has either been killed
or wounded, with the exception of eleven.”
Captain Michael O'Sullivan, Of Co. F, 63d Regiment N. Y. S. Y., who was wounded slightly in the leg, in the battle of Antietam, wrote home to Albany from the hospital at Keedysville on the same day, thus:
" We have fought the enemy, and our brigade has been
cut to pieces! Every man of my company has either been killed or wounded, with
the exception of eleven. I received a rifle shot in the left thigh, going
completely through-fortunately without touching the bone. Poor Lieut. Henry
McConnell was shot through the brain, and never spoke again. P. W. Lyndon, my
First Lieutenant, was shot through the heart. Only one Captain (O'Neil)
remained on the field. James De Lacey is killed-as also Tim. Kearns. Lieut.
Sullivan, Terry, Murray, and the two Mahers, are all safe. Major Bentley is
slightly wounded. Sergeant John Dwyer is wounded in the head.
Sergeant Major Quick and M. McDonald are not touched. All the line officers of
our regiment are either killed or wounded, save one Captain and five
Lieutenants.
" * * * At this moment (10 A. M.) my wound is not yet
dressed; but it gives me only slight inconvenience. I expect to leave here for
Frederick to night, and from thence, probably, home for a season. Those
mentioned above are the only Albanians of whom I have positive knowledge at
this writing; but I will endeavor to account for them all."
Mr. Cooney writes of Michael: “Even now in this city there are many middle-aged men who refer with pleasure and gratitude to his care of them in youth, his kindly counsel, and watchful guidance. In 1865, July 4th, there was a presentation of NYS flags to Gov. Fenton and on this occasion, Captain O’Sullivan with his colonel, RC Bentley, represented the 63rd Regt, NYSV. On account of his educational work in this city and his natural ability, he was connected with all the literary societies in this city from their inception, also with that of St. Vincent de Paul. St. John’s Institute presented him with a sword and revolver as a token of remembrance and esteem when he left for the seat of war.”
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